Description: As results emerged showing the influence of COVID-19 on recent mortality, the Society of Actuaries Research Institute’s Mortality and Longevity Strategic Research Program Steering Committee (MLPSC) began to ponder what it means for the future. Was the coronavirus pandemic just a temporary shock to U.S. mortality with mortality quickly returning to prepandemic levels upon its conclusion or a lingering factor in future U.S. mortality from the potential occurrence of new coronavirus variants, post-COVID-19 conditions (“long COVID”), deferral of needed health care treatment, a fatigued health care system and other elements? Only time will provide the answers to these questions.

Description: In today’s business world, many financial decisions undergo considerable analysis before the decision is made and the decision-maker is often held accountable for the outcomes. The purpose of this research is to introduce the concept of total risk analysis (TRA), which is designed to help the decision-maker answer key questions at the time the decision is made. This paper will focus on a specific example of a typical healthcare decision: setting a budget for claims in the upcoming year. In addition to explaining TRA and providing a case study, this paper presents quantitative research regarding cost distributions for health care costs.

Description: Credibility is a mechanism for estimating a quantity of interest by combining subject experience and relevant experience to improve the estimate.

Description: The Pension Section is pleased to make available Part I of a two-part research paper exploring embedded options in pension plans. Part I includes a catalogue of embedded options in pension plans and the results of a related survey of pension practitioners. The paper was written by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLC.

Description: This paper is a literature review of available papers, publications, articles, and presentations on the topic of longevity risk.

Description: Research the impact of illiquid investments on pension plan funding, design, and risk management strategies.

Description: The Mortality Improvement Model, MIM-2021- V3. Different mortality projection methodologies are utilized by actuaries across applications and practice areas. As a result, the MIM Advisory Group (“Advisory Group”) developed a single framework to serve as a consistent base for practitioners in projecting mortality improvement.

Description: The document is a report prepared by the Society of Actuaries in 2012, focusing on surveys conducted in Canada and the United States regarding retirement risks. It compares the findings of the two countries, covering concerns, strategies, and perceptions related to retirement planning and financial security.

Description: This essay collection examines how changing family dynamics shape retirement security, offering insights on demographic trends, policy design, and actuarial strategy—because retirement is the ultimate family affair.

Description: The SOA Research Institute Aging and Retirement Strategic Research Program and Retirement Section are pleased to make available a research report that examines megatrends and potential paradigm shifts, and how they may impact the future of retirement and retirement plans, as well as the macro forces that will shape those trends.